Meanwhile Evans says the situation has echoes from the 1998-99 season, which saw Cardiff and Swansea rebel against the Welsh Rugby Union - resigning from the Welsh League and playing friendlies against English clubs instead that year.

The two clubs had refused to sign a 10-year participation agreement with the WRU and were unhappy that Welsh rugby's governing body and its English counterpart - the Rugby Football Union - had ruled out a British League.